Protect the Innocent is the second album by American singer Rachel Sweet.

It was released on February 15, 1980, and was issued by Stiff Records and Columbia Records.

[4][5] The album was produced by Martin Rushent and Alan Winstanley, with the latter also handling engineering.

[6] In a 1980 review, Billboard noted the "good production and musicianship" on Protect the Innocent and found that the album shows that Sweet "has possibilities beyond the new wave audience.

"[11] Critic Robert Christgau likened her to "a new-wave Linda Ronstadt" and was less receptive, citing Sweet's self-penned "Tonight Ricky" as the album's only interesting song.